Boris Borisovich Grebenshchikov, better known under the pseudonym BG, is one of the founders of Russian rock. Singer, musician, composer, poet, writer, artist, actor. One of the founders, as well as the permanent leader and soloist of the "Aquarium" group.
BG will turn sixty-six in 2019, but it is just as popular with rock fans as it was many years ago. For many fans of Grebenshchikov's work, he is a “living legend”.
Currently, Boris Borisovich, together with his group "Aquarium", constantly gives concerts not only in Russia but also abroad, records new songs and albums, shoots video clips, and participates in music festivals.
short biography
In the fall of 1953, a boy was born, who was named Boris. At that time, no one could even imagine that it was he who would become one of the brightest representatives of Soviet and Russian rock music, the author of numerous songs that have not lost their popularity even after decades.
Grebenshchikov was born and raised in Leningrad. Boris's grandmother survived the difficult years of the blockade, having lost her loved ones during the war - her father and husband.
Father, having received a higher education, began working as an engineer, later became the director of a pilot plant at the Baltic Shipping Company. Mom was a lawyer by education and worked at the Leningrad Fashion House.
Since childhood, Boris was fascinated by creativity and music, but he was sent to study at the Leningrad 239th Physics and Mathematics School.
After receiving secondary education, the young man entered the Faculty of Mathematics at Leningrad State University. But even there he did not abandon his passion for music and, together with his school friend Anatoly Gunitsky, soon decided to create a group that was named "Aquarium".
Friends were constantly in a creative search, composing music, writing poetry and rehearsing in the assembly hall located within the walls of the university.
Grebenshchikov tried to write and sing his first songs in English. Affected by his passion for such musicians as: B. Dylan, M. Bolan, The Beatles. However, after a while, the friends decided that they should perform music in Russian and convey to their listeners the deep meaning inherent in the poems and songs.
Creative way
The Aquarium group was created in the summer of 1972. The founders were Boris Grebenshchikov and his friend Anatoly Gunitsky. At first, only the “elite” knew the team. Until the mid-1980s of the last century, there was practically no speech about any public speaking.
Two years later, two more new musicians joined the collective - M. Feinstein and A. Romanov. But the joint work did not last long.
The guys organized a theater group and for some time staged plays written by Feinstein on the youth stage of the university theater. True, the music in them practically did not sound, which Boris did not really like. Perhaps it was precisely the departure from musical creativity that became the reason why the band broke up.
Also, the young people were told that they would no longer be able to rehearse in the hall, because their plays and musical compositions did not correspond to the moral image of Soviet students. Boris himself was asked to stop giving concerts, otherwise he would be expelled from the university.
Grebenshchikov does not despair, starts looking for new musicians and continues to write songs. He has nowhere to rehearse and record new compositions. Suitable premises are either too expensive, or the musicians were required to have special permission from above, which BG could not get.
And yet, all these problems did not become an obstacle for Grebenshchikov. In the 1970s, he was able to record his first tape albums, one of which was recorded on the street together with the leader of the Zoo group Mike Naumenko.
After Grebenshchikov's performance at a rock festival in Tbilisi in 1980, he was expelled from the Komsomol and fired from his job. Then he got a job as a janitor and continued to engage in musical creativity.
In those years, many representatives of Russian rock began to perform at the "apartment buildings". BG also participated in similar concerts, which could only be attended by trusted people close to the organizers or musicians. There was only one reason why such restrictions were needed. If one of the neighbors was vigilant and called the police, then all those present at such an event could well end up in the nearest police station.
In 1981, the first rock club was organized in Leningrad. BG became one of its first members.
The official album of "Aquarium" was first published by the Melodiya record label in 1987.
During the years of perestroika, Aquarium began performing on the stage of concert halls and stadiums, always gathering a huge number of fans.
At the same time, Grebenshchikov began to get involved in Buddhism. After Ole Nydahl arrived in the northern capital, Boris became his student. Later he goes to Sai Baba's ashram and continues to study spiritual practices and meditation from a guru.
Fees, projects, concerts
Among the musician's fans, the question never arose about how much their idol earns and on what means he lives. BG himself has said more than once that he cannot say for sure how much money he earns for his performances, filming in television projects and films and other creative activities.
In 2015, Grebenshchikov announced a fundraising campaign through a crowdfunding company for the publication of his new album. It was necessary to collect about three million rubles. Already in the first two days, half of the amount was transferred. Fans supported their idol and helped raise the necessary funds.
BG himself has said more than once that his work has always been supported by friends. At first he was helped in recording the first albums, later he was introduced to representatives of Western studios, on the sites of which "Aquarium" is still working.
It is not surprising that musicians or actors collect the required amount through donations. Today in Russia, not everyone has the funds to develop and promote their creativity. Even well-known theatrical and musical groups collect money for the preparation of performances, filming programs, or holding various festivals and events.
Anyone can listen to the songs of Aquarium for free by going to the Internet. But to record new albums, a pretty decent amount is required, which on average is $ 40 thousand.
Every year "Aquarium" and Boris Grebenshchikov give hundreds of concerts in front of Russian and foreign audiences.
In 2018, a personal exhibition of BG's paintings was organized at the Erarta Museum, where about twenty works were exhibited. The musician continues to paint new pictures, although he does not always have time for this.
In 2019 BG took part in the anniversary festival "Invasion", where the musician's fans could hear very old songs, as well as new compositions of the group.
In September 2019, St. Petersburg will host the next music festival of world music "Parts of the World" in the Yusupov Garden. The art director of the project is Boris Grebenshchikov. He personally invites musicians from different countries to take part in this event. Tickets for the event cost from 1,500 rubles.
